Interview with Viper from 49th

Hi guys, this is my first interview. Today, it’s Viper, Co of VFA-49. So thanks to Viper (aka Chansolo) and to h3csc for hosting the interview. I hope to interview the other Squad leaders and other well known faces in YS. So, from me and Viper, thanks in advance for reading.


Vandal says:
Hello and thank you for being my first interview for the new sky companion blog.

Viper says:
Your welcome, it's a pleasure

Vandal says:
Ok, first off, for anyone who lives on the moon and doesn't know about the 49th, describe in short what your squad is all about.

Viper says:
Well our mission is to create a enjoyable environment where users of ysflight can come together and work as a team, training, flying, performing missions and of course having fun. The VFA-49 is a mix of naval and air power, consisting of 6 combat divisions and one training division. Each division has a unique role and unique aircraft to fill that role

Vandal says:
What are the different divisions and their roles?

Viper says:
The Birds of Prey division is our training division. Pilots who join the squad are placed here. They must work their way through the six step training system that will put them through training for all 6 divisions. They are graded based on their performance and placed in the division that suits them the best
The Night Cobras are Division 1, their role is simple, pave the way for the rest of the squadron by eliminating enemy installations

Vandal says:
So SEAD?

Viper says:
Yes, suppression of enemy air defences
The Black Falcons are division 2. They are the air to air division and are the backbone of the squad. Their mission is to establish air superiority quickly, and effectively.
Division 3 is the Saber Hawks. This division as the unique task of defending 49th installations and fleet, which of course includes our carrier the CVN-149
Division 4 is the Eagle Eyes. They are tasked with providing intelligence on the enemy by performing reconnaissance operations, mainly in the cover of darkness
Division 5, our bomber fleet, the Fire Ballers. They fly powerful and fast bomber aircraft such as the B-1R and B-70.
And finally, Division 6, the Arch Angels. They are the helicopter division and are tasked with troop transport, close air support, and ground attack, truly a multi-role division

Vandal says:
Ok, lets talk about the running of the 49th. Do you have a rank structure and how does it work?

Viper says:
The three main ranks are commanding officer, In charge of running the squad and it's management, executing officer, in charge of discipline and assisting in squadron management, and tactical officer, in charge of combat operations.
The lower ranks serve the purpose of delegating responsibility online, and are as follows:
Rear Admiral Higher, Rear Admiral lower, captain, commander, lieutenant commander, lieutenant, and ensign

Vandal says:
How would a 49th member work their way up? Is it on merit or do you have a points system?

Viper says:
Not a point system but a certificate system. In order to improve their rank they must A: be active and B: complete a offline mission and send in the replay for approval. The missions are challenge based and test the pilots skill in a specific area of combat, in extreme circumstances.
Once the replay is approved they are moved up the ranks and given a new set of stripes to display on their signature

Vandal says:
What about aces? Do you have some stars in the Squad? I know sanders is held in high regard in the 171st as a good pilot.

Viper says:
Yes Sanders, Mav, and Unlimited are the pride of the squad in terms of dog fighting. Ace Lord and Wetzel are our bombing experts and I also must give credit to Lord Flash, our best modder

Vandal says:
Sounds simple and effective. What about your goals for 2010?

Viper says:
Well our goals are to expand both in our number of pilots and operations online. We also look forward to participating as a squad in future events such as air shows and exhibition matches with other squadrons

Vandal says:
You are currently working on a new pack, is this simple new paints or will you be adding or taking away some birds?

Viper says:
Yes, the goal is to reorganize our aircraft so their paint schemes reflect the division they are in. Of course, aircraft that we deem not necessary or if their role is already fulfilled will not be making the cut

Vandal says:
Now, while on the topic of squad packs. In the past you have been 'attacked' for so called 'cheat planes', people reporting not even being able to lock on to your aircraft while being right behind them. Will this pack respond to their concern? and in what way?

Viper says:
Well partly. We describe ourselves as a squadron based on stealth, which is our origin from the days of Buck Nasty. However, in the past we have made mistakes, this is true. In Pack V only real world stealth aircraft, such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35, YF-23, SU-47 and such will actually have stealth. Yet, we will be modifying the dats on these airplanes so when a bay is open stealth is temporarily lost. We believe we can achieve this by editing the command BOMBAY RDS in the dat file.
When the bay is open, a faint lock on should be achieved

Vandal says:
What do you think about a GAC style pack? The 171st is working on such a pack to be used along side their full detail pack. It could help to make it possible to have full scale squad battles.

Viper says:
We are considering it as an option as an addition to pack V. Well see when we get there.

Vandal says:
What advantages do you think YSFlight gives you and your squad over other sims and games?

Viper says:
The simplicity of pick up and play. The game is not hampered by complex rules dictated by a service such as steam or xbox live. Addons are fairly simple to create and install, and servers can be hosted from any computer. Although it is decades behind other games in graphics and detail, it's simple, low resource design allows almost anyone, regardless of their hardware, to enjoy it

Vandal says:
Now, anyone who doesn't think there is a rivalry between the 49th and 171st must be an idiot. But, do you think it is a healthy rivalry? And how do you think the squads relationship will evolve?

Viper says:
It's a given that two squads on the opposite spectrum of this game will be rivals. I don't believe it's such a bad thing, without rivalry what would be the point of having our own colours? It's also necessary to have one, to offer a choice for the users of ysflight who are looking for a home. If you would allow me to use the Cold War, as a stretch for an example, the rivalry between the two superpowers produced some of the most advanced ideas, tactics, and technology on both sides. By being rivals the 171st and 49th push each other to become better, and try new ideas, which is a good thing
I believe this will continue in 2010 and that both our squadrons will continue to grow

Vandal says:
While on the servers lately, I've noticed a lack of 49th member on the servers. Are your active members numbers dropping or are you doing more flying behind closed doors on private servers?

Viper says:
The latter, our pilot numbers remain about the same. We are working on our internal structure at the moment and working from our own servers.

Vandal says:
I hope you don't mind me asking you this. But, you have recently lost one of your best pilots in the form of SLI. How has this effected the Squad?

Viper says:
Well it's a bit sad to not see SLI's humorous posts brighten up the forum, and the guys do miss him, but no one holds anything against him, Its his decision and we hope he has found what he wanted

Vandal says:
Are you worried that you'll lose other pilots and what are you planning to do to try and keep them loyal?

Viper says:
No, I am not. We have many ideas and projects on the way, and with the new pack along the way everyone is eager to help. Our pilots know where they belong and I dont question their loyalty. It's only a question of what I can do to keep their respect, something I strive for everyday

Vandal says:
Now, we've talked a little on the relationship between the 171st and 49th. But, what about the other two squads? There are rumours that the 241st is on the rise, how do you think that will effect the skies of YS?

Viper says:
Well as a former 241st pilot I know that they like to do things right the first time, so I believe when they completely return online they will be a great addition to the squadron family in what they have to offer users of ysflight and in their addons and pilots. I hope to see them online soon.
I do not believe tensions will rise so much as pressure to improve however, both the 171st and 49th have friends there

Vandal says:
And what about the new guys on the block? 3AW (AKA the 11th).

Viper says:
Well they are pretty smart in the fact they chose to remain simple, which is good for a new squadron in that they can grow easily. Although I have not seen them online lately or their server, but that could just be me

Vandal says:
Lets just hope it's a Christmas break. They have had a lot of support from the 171st in their early days. Did they gain any support from the 49th other than moral?

Viper says:
No we try to stay out of other squadron's business as we are focusing intently on our own rapid improvement

Vandal says:
Do you think the 49th rep is growing on YSP or do you think there is still an 'anti-49th' opinion with in the YSP community?

Viper says:
As with any group we will always have those who do hate us. However I do believe we are in far better shape then what we were one year ago. Nevertheless, my goal is not to appease the masses but do what's best for my squadron and it's pilots

Vandal says:
Ok, I think that’s about it. Just one last question. What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting their own squad?

Viper says:
Not to let anyone tell you your not good enough, or you won't make it. Trust yourself, keep a level head, and prove them wrong

Vandal says:
Good advice. Thank you for you Time and good luck for 2010.

Viper says:
Your very welcome, have a good one